Process of closing tubes



Jan. 22, 1935. c. J. WESTIN 1,989,032

PROCESS OF CLOSING TUBES Filed Dec. 27, 1952 Patent d. 22, 3935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE J. Stokes Machine Company, Phil adelphia,

Pa, a corporation of Pennsylvania Application December 27, 1932, Serial No. 648,919

5 Claims.

The subject of my invention is an improved process for closing one end of tubes flexible material, particularly collapsible tubes of the type used to contain materials of a. pasty character. By my improved process there is produced a closure from the material 0! the tube itself.

This closure has the form or a clip which is in tegral with the tube as opposed to the separate metal clips customarily used heretofore.

More specifically my invention consists in a process of closing a collapsible tube, such as that claimed in my patent, No. 1,852,225.

For a further exposition of my invention ref erence may be had to the annexed drawing and specification at the end or which my invention will be specifically pointed out and claimed.

' In the drawing,

- Figure 1 is a vertical cross section throughs. portion of a tube showing the end partially go folded.

Figure 2 is a vertical ,cross section through a portion of a tube showing the end completely folded.

Figure 3 is a side elevation 0! a portion 01' a tube or modified type.

Fig. 3a is a similar view of another modification.

Figure 4 is an end view of the modification shown in Figure 3, and 7 Figures 5 to 15, inclusive, are vertical cross sections through a portion of a tube illustrating the steps of the process.

Referring to the drawing,

In Figures 1 and 2 there is disclosed a portion of a tube l of cylindrical shape. At one end the tube 1 has its end bent to form a closure out of the metal of the tube itself. This closure forms an integral clip generally indicated at 3.

In Figures 3 and 4 there is disclosed a tube 1 having an integral clip 3 oi. the type disclosed in my copending application, Serial No. 641,553, filed November 7, 1932. This clip has indentations 4 which are spaced away from the bends 5 and 6 respectively which form a portion of the integral clip. The indentations 4 are alternately pressed from the opposite "sides of the clip, thus forming a corrugated portion.

Figure 5 shows in vertical side elevation one end 0! a tube 1 preparatory to being filled and then undergoing my novel closing process.

Figure 8 shows the tube 1 havirits end flattened to form a flat or upstanding portion 2.

Figure 7 shows the end 7 of the flat portion 2 bent or doubled on itself toward the right into a position at an angle to the axis of tube 1 to term a terminal bend or doubled over portion or tuck 7.

Figure 8 shows the bent end 7 bent further, toward the side 0! tube 1 toward which it was originally bent.

Figure 9 shows the flattened portion 2 of the tube I lifted from the position shown in Figure 8 a distance equal to the length of tube required for making'the clip.

Figure 10 shows the flattened portion 2 01' the tube 1 bent along the bend 5 with a tuck taken in the reverse or opposite direction to the turned in terminal bend 7.

Figure 11 shows the tuck bent down about bend 5 closer to the upstanding part 2 and thus, together with the terminal bend '7, forming the tube walls into an accordion pleat. The tuck at bend 5 and the tuck formed by terminal bend 7 .may be or equal size.

Figure 12 shows the tuck, which is intermediate of the flattened portion 01' the tube, compressed against the side 01' the flattened portion 2 or the tube 1 toward which the tuck was bent. The end of the bent over terminal end 7 is in contact with'or adjacent to the end of the remaining upstanding portion 2.

Figure 13 shows the bent end 7 and the adiacent portion of the flattened portion 2 being bent at 6 in the direction in which the bent end 7 was originally bent.

Figure 14 shows the bent end '7 ben't further toward the side or the tube 1 toward which it was originally bent.

Figure 15 shows the completed integral U- shaped clip as finished by compressing the bent end 7 against that portion of the flattened portion 2 which is closest to the unflattened portion 01' the tube 1. As indicated, the tuck formed by the terminal bend 7 to the right of the remainder' of the original upstanding portion is equal in size to the tuck 5 on the opposite side of said upstanding flattened portion.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the latter part of the process as illustrated in Figs. 12 to 15, inclusive, is one of continuous bending in which the bends or folds, except the compression of the tuck at bend 5 against the upstanding part I 2, are all made in the same direction.

If desired, the integral clipwhich is generally oi U or V shape produced according to the foregoing process may be rolled or corrugated, as shown in Fig. 3a, to produce corrugations or elongated indentations 4a parallel to the longitudinal of the tube 1, but a preferred form of corrugation or indentation, described below, is shown in Figs. 2 3 and d.

If desired, a tube having an integral clip produced according to the foregoing process may have indentations 4 produced therein. The indentations 4 are spaced from the bends 5 and 6 leaving portions of unbent metal between the indentations and the bends. The indentations 4 extend into the bent end '7 and into the portion of the flattened portion 2 adjacent to the bent end 7. A tube produced by this modification of my process is disclosed in Figures 2, 3 and 4.

,As a modification, the tuck at bend 5 may be made before the tuck formed by bent end 7 is made.

I do not intend to be limited in the practice of my invention save as the scope of the prior art and of the attached claims may require.

I claim:

1. The process of closing one end of a tube of flexible material which process consists in pressing the walls of the tube together to form an upstanding flat portion, bending the end of the flat portion into a position at an angle to the axisof the tube, bending the said bent end further towards the side of the tube toward which it was bent, bending said upstanding portion in the opposite direction to said first bend at a point intermediate said bent end and the unflattened portion of said tube, folding said last mentioned bend tighter to form a tuck, compressing said tuck against the side of the flattened portion of the tube toward which said tuckwas bent, bending the upstanding portion in the direction of the first bend at a point intermediate said bent end and said tuck, folding said last mentioned bend toward the side of the tube toward which it was bent, and pressing said bent end about said last mentioned bend against the side of the flattened portion of the tube toward which said bend was made.

2. The process which consists in closing one end of a tube of flexible material according to the abscess process set forth in claim land corrugating the resulting closed end of the tube.

3. The process which consists in closing one end of process set forth in claim 1 and forming indentations in the resulting closed end of the tube, said indentations being spaced from the bends in said closed end.

4. The method of closing an end of a tube oi flexible material which comprises pressing the walls of the tube together to form an upstanding portion, bending the end of said portion in one direction against the side oi said portion, bending the portion intermediate the bent end and the unflattened part of the tube in a reverse direction to form a tuck and to bring the original end of said portion adjacent the end of the unbent part of said upstanding portion, to form a pleat beginning and ending at said end of the unbent part, and bending the pleat about the unbent part of said upstanding portion to bring the original end of said upstanding portion against one side of said unbent part and the tuck against the opposite side of said unbent part.

5. The method of closing an end of a tube of flexible material which comprises pressing the walls of the tube together to form an upstanding portion, bending the end of said portion in one direction against the side of said portion, bending the portion intermediatethe bent end and the unfiattened part of the tube in a reverse direction to form a tuck and to bring the original and of said portion adjacent the end of the unbent part of said upstanding portion, to form a pleat beginning and ending part, bending the pleat about the unbent part of said upstanding portion tobring the original end of said upstanding portion against one side of said unbent partand the tuck against the opposite side of said unbent part to form an integral clip closing the end of the tube, and indenting the clip alternately from opposite sides and intermediate the bends forming it.

CHARLES J. WESTIN.

at said end of the unbent a tube of flexible material according to the I 

